Art Conservation Training For Two Barbadians In Cuba

Barbados will have more art conservation skills at its disposal, when two young women complete a two-week training course in Havana, Cuba.

Assistant conservator Tyeisha Bradshaw and visual artist Jada Hope are among the young people from the Caribbean who have been selected to participate in the course, which began on September 23, and will conclude on Friday, October 4.

The course will offer the young women the opportunity to acquire skills in cleaning paintings on pictorial materials in art and conservation. The training is being offered within the framework of the Caribbean Cultural Training Hub of the UNESCO Programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity. It is organised by the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana and funded by the European Union.  

Among the aims of the Transcultura programme is the professionalisation of young people in the Caribbean cultural and creative industries, the diversification of regional tourism to ensure its sustainability, and to provide a bridge between Europe and the Caribbean.

Ms. Bradshaw said the training is particularly timely for her. “Currently, I’m working on the Reclaiming Our Atlantic Destiny Project as an assistant conservator. At times, we do work with the Barbados Museum and the Barbados National Art Gallery, and I just wanted to have the training to be better able to work on the paintings when I do have the opportunity. This course definitely will provide the training that I need.”

Ms. Hope sees the course as part of the process of furthering her education. “My interest lies in art conservation. Currently, I’m saving to pursue my master’s, in Art Conservation. My goal is to work at the Barbados Museum. My passion lies in art. A lot of Barbadians have this misconception that art is for tourists, but art is for us too.

“It represents us as a people; it documents our history and our culture. And thus, I want to play a role in making sure we preserve these monuments of our heritage and our history. I am hoping that coming here, I will be able to gain a more hands-on experience, as opposed to doing an online course,” she stated.